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Braun won an appeal of an October positive test for elevated levels of testosterone, enabling him to play the entire season for the Milwaukee Brewers without serving a 50-game suspension.

"They're going crazy in Milwaukee," said Omar Shaikh, Braun's close friend and business partner. "He's so happy this is over. I talked to him for an hour (Wednesday), and he told me, 'I know I'm innocent. I'm at peace at whatever decision. But I know I didn't do anything wrong.'

Had Braun's appeal failed, he would have been ineligible to play until May 31 and forfeited $2.2 million of his $7.1 million salary. While Braun and Brewers fans were celebrating, MLB disagreed with the decision by arbitrator Shyam Das.

Two persons familiar with Das' decision but not authorized to speak publicly said Braun won his appeal on a technicality despite testing positive in the first round of the National League playoffs for elevated levels of testosterone.

There was improper protocol followed in the collection of Braun's urine, the people said, in that the sample was stored and refrigerated at the home of one of the drug administrators, but not sent immediately to the drug testing lab.

"It has always been Major League Baseball's position that no matter who tests positive, we will exhaust all avenues in pursuit of the appropriate discipline," said Rob Manfred, MLB executive vice president of labor relations. "We have been true to that position in every instance, because baseball fans deserve nothing less. As a part of our drug testing program, the commissioner's office and the players' association agreed to a neutral third party review for instances that are under dispute.

"While we have respected that , Major League Baseball vehemently disagrees with the decision rendered by arbitrator Shyam Das."

"Since joining our organization in 2005, Ryan Braun has been a model citizen and a person of character and integrity," Brewers chairman and principal owner Mark Attanasio said in a statement. "Knowing Ryan as I do, I always believed he would succeed in his appeal.

"I also want to reiterate my support for Major League Baseball's strict substance testing program. It is unfortunate that the confidentiality of the program was compromised, and we thank our fans and everyone who supported Ryan and did not rush to judgment."

Two people close to Braun and familiar with his appeal, but unauthorized to speak publicly about the process, acknowledge the sample collection was flawed. But they contend there were several factors in Braun's succesful grievance. There was no other proof that he took an illegal substance, and his 20/1 TE ratio [hormone testosterone to the hormone epitestosterone], they said, was impossibly elevated for an acceptable sample. A TE ratio of less than 4/1 is considered normal.

Braun told USA TODAY in December that the result was "B.S." and never relented in his innocence.

"We provided complete cooperation despite the highly unusual circumstances," Braun said in a prepared statement. "I have been an open book, willing to share details from every aspect of my life as part of this investigation, because I have nothing to hide. I have passed over 25 drug tests in my career, including at least three in the past year. …

"We were able to get through this because … the truth is on our side."

Braun is the first MLB player in 13 attempts to win his appeal against a positive drug test. While it is a clear victory for the MLB Players' Association, Gary Wadler, associate professor of medicine at the Hofstra Medical School and former official with the World Anti-Doping Association, said MLB's drug-testing program should not be condemned.

"Just because one case is reversed," Wadler said, "doesn't mean that the whole system is broken by any means of the imagination. One swallow does not make a summer.

"I think it would be a terrible tragedy if players throw out drug testing and say it doesn't work. In the legal world, there are cases that get overturned all of the time. You don't throw out the whole legal system.There's one argument it can be a positive because players do have recourse."

The result did not please Travis Tygart, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

"It's a gut kick to clean athletes in baseball," he said, "for a technicality like this to undermine their rights."

Braun, who is expected to provide more detail when he reports Friday to the Brewers' spring-training camp, was represented by attorney David Cornwell, executive director of the NFL Coaches Association. Cornwell represented running back Ricky Williams when he negotiated terms to resume his career after a failed drug test; wide receiver Randy Moss after admitting marijuana use during a TV interview; quarterback Ben Roethlisberger when facing discipline from sexual assault charges; and linemen Dana Stubblefield, Chris Cooper and Barret Robbins, implicated in the BALCO scandal.

"MLB has got to be crushed, but I was so happy for him," said Los Angeles Angels reliever LaTroy Hawkins, Braun's teammate the last two seasons. "This opens the door now for other guys filing an appeal. It's a solid victory for the players."

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a friend of Braun's , tweeted: "MLB and cable sports tried to sully the reputation of an innocent man. Picked the wrong guy to mess with. Truth will set you free."

Contributing: Jarrett Bell, Jorge L. Ortiz

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